Years later, Alvarez borrowed $11,000 for rent for the Candy Store from the “mafia club” that resided at a restaurant a few doors down. Every Sunday, Alvarez recalled, a hitman from said club would visit the store to collect $550 in interest. Alvarez always paid up — until he couldn’t anymore. In this pickle, Alvarez called a friend who dropped off $11,000 to his door the next day. As Alvarez tells it, there was no shortage of good people gifting him the exact cash amount he needed 24 hours after making a phone call. In 2010, after a bout of financial trouble, regulars and neighbors of Ray’s helped him raise $3,500 to pay rent and buy a host of new equipment.
